Hamsters have been domesticated as pets only relatively recently. In fact, there are 26 different species of hamsters that live in the wild. They can be located in various parts of Europe, Asia and the Middle East (Nat. Geo. said so).
Honestly, Hamsters that are kept as pets, the ones that keep you awake at night running on the wheel or sipping water, are one of the following breeds: Syrian hamsters, Campbell’s Dwarf hamsters or Roborovski Dwarf hamsters. Regardless, they're the cute furry ones you can pick up at your local pet store.